You can survive a fire in your home if you plan and practice your escape. Practice your home fire escape plan at least twice a year.

Plan your escape

Draw a floor plan of your home. Show two ways out of each room. Discuss escape routes with everyone in your home.

Agree on a meeting place outside where everyone will gather once you've escaped.

Be Prepared

Make sure everyone can clearly hear and recognize the sound of all smoke alarms at all times.

Studies have shown that some children may not waken to the sound of the smoke alarms. Know what your child will do before a fire occurs.

Once you have escaped use a neighbors phone or a portable phone to call 911.

Teach everyone in your household how to unlock and open all windows and doors.

If your windows have security bars, equip them with quick-release devices.

Keep stairways and exits clear and free from clutter.

Install and maintain your smoke alarms

Install smoke alarms on every level of your home and outside each sleeping area. For the best protection install interconnected smoke alarms in each bedroom and throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound.

Test smoke alarms once a month and replace their batteries twice a year. An easy way to remember to change your batteries is when the seasonal times spring forward or fall back its time to change your batteries.

Replace any alarm that's more than 10 years old.

Install smoke alarms with strobe lights for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Multi-Story Buildings

Your building's management should post an emergency evacuation plan on every floor. Make sure people with disabilities are included in escape planning and practice.

Your plan may instruct you to:

Leave immediately.

Stay where you are and wait to be rescued.

Move to an area away from the fire and wait to be rescued

Follow instructions given over your building's public address system, if you have one.

Keep a portable phone with you during a fire emergency/

React immediately if you are trapped. Seal vents and cracks around doors with a wet cloth.

Do not assume that you can or will be rescued from the roof.

Learn and practice your building's evacuation plan.

Know the location of all the buildings exits and fire alarms.

Report any locked or blocked exits to your building's management.

If you hear the smoke alarm, leave immediately.

Use the stairs, never use elevators, during a fire.

Do not go back inside once you've escaped a fire.

Escape Tips

Feel the door. If the door is hot, use your second way out. If it's cool, open it slowly. Close it quickly if smoke pours through.

If you have to escape through smoke, get low and go under the smoke to your exit.

Close doors behind you as you escape to slow the spread of fire and smoke.